The Jamaica OutPost
wishes to thank Tony Hron,
who bids farewell to Ja-
maica in early November,
for his contributions to the
Jamaican GLBT Commu-
nity. (Read more online)
We are now online. Visit us at:
www.jamaicaDutpDst.CDm
U.S. GRANTS ASYLUM TO JAMAICAN GAY ACTIVIST

Larry Chang, the co-founder and
General Seaetary of Jamaica's
first gay rights organisation, has
been granted political asylum by
the U.S. [Department of Homeland
Security due to persecution on
grounds of his sexual orientation.
The confirmation of asylum was
conferred on October 15, after
three years of uncertainty for
Chang. In a release statement,
Chang who now resides in V\fesh-
ington DC, expressed his over-
whelrring joy for the support he
had received from many people.
Chang is a descendent of
Chinese immigrants to Jamaica
during the period of British
colonization. Hs ethnicity made
him an easy target for
homophobic attacte, which led
him to be a founding merrter of
the Gay Freedom Movement in
1977. Chang also was very
instrumental in the founding of yet
another gay rights organisation,
the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians,
Al-sexuals and Gays (JFLAG),
follovyng the derrise of the Gay
Freedom Movement some years
beforaln 2001, a disillusioned
Chang fled the island to protect
his sanity and his life. This
marked the end of a long struggle
by Chang to influence the
Larry Chang SnurcE: Washington BladE (Phntn hy Luis Gnmnz)
Jamaican Government to change
the Jamaican laws to offer equal
protection for the lesbian, all-sexual
and gay (LAG) community of
Jamaica. Coincidently, the
government also refused to indude
sexual orientation in the anti-
disCTirrination clause of the Charter
of Rights and Freedoms
(Constitutional Amendment) Bill that
was being penned to replace
Chapter III of the Jamaica
Constitution during 2001. Chang's
energy has taken on a new angle
since his departure from Jamaica
He now focuses on providing
information for LAG community
merrters on how to seek political
asylum to escape homophobic
persecution. Maybe one days the
"Gay Star-liner" will come sailing
into the ports of Jamaica
Politics and the gay community
Wiere does the PNP or JLP
stand on homosexual issues?
Are thiere any gay-friendly
IVPs? Have you ever checked
with your local MP to get his
views on gay right issues? It is
without a doJot that many in
our sodety would eagerly an-
swer these questions, induding
menters of our own lesbian,
all-sexual and gay (LAG) conv
mjnity. There are, hiowever, a
few questions we need to ask
ourselves. VMiere do we stand
on political issues? Can our
votes really change our fate? A
recent poll conducted by The
Jamaica OutPost has indicated
a pattern in the political indina-
tion of the local gay and les-
bian conmunity. According to
thie findings, thie LAG conmu-
nity equally siqoorts both the
JLP and the PNP parties. On
the other hand, a small per-
centage of the conmunity does
(Continued on page 2)

The Jamaica DutPost
November2DD4 Volume! Issue G Kingston, Jamaica
Page 2
FAQ
Should I disclose my sexuality to my Doctor?
TTiis is an inportant question conditions, this may not be a
and one that has far reaching problem Hovrever, some condi-
implications. In an ideal vwrld, tions may affect LAG individu-
no one wDuld have to wary als more commonly and by
about this question. Lhfortu- withholding this infamation,
nately, some health care provid- you may make it more difficult
ers right here in Jamaica still fa your docta to effectively
allow their personal biases to diagnose your health condition
influence the quality of patient or properly treat you. If you
care, whether consdously a aren't comfortable discussing
not. As a result, many of us your sexuality with your doctor
keep our sexuality a seaet from directly, then it is probably time
our doctors. Fa many health to find a new one. You may
\rtant to ask friends fa a refer-
ral. Another source of referrals
is the J-FLA3 Helpline, 978-
8988. TTiey keep a list of gay-
friendly healthcare providers. It
may take some effort and a bit
of courage on your part, but
the potential benefits of an
open and comfortable relation-
ship with your docta could be
life saving.
Send your question to:
jamaicaoutpcst@fx)tmail .com
Healtb 8 Wellness
CREATING A BALANCED HEALTH REGIME Part 3 of 3
In this final part of the series, we
will explore a technique that
SLpports all aspects of our
health physical, mental, ewo
tional and spiritual. It has been
called by many names over the
years by advocates who come
from every walk of life. Chris-
tians call if "focused prayer",
doctors call it "the relaxation
effect", and students of Eastem
spirituality call it mediation. Al-
though there are different ap-
proaches to this technique, they
have one goal in comron: at-
taining a mental state during
which the normal nind-chatter of
daily life is set aside. One such
approach provides a visual focus,
another an auditory focus, and a
third a tactile focus. In the first
instance, you can visualize a sa-
aed image, a candle flame, a
any object that is personally
meaningful. This visualization can
be done with the imagination, a
by looking at the actual object.
TTie auditory focus is similar. You
can listen to (or hunYsing, a
imagine) relaxing nxisic, calming
Gospel songs, meaningful words
(like 'love') or names (like 'Lad),
or sinple tones a beats. TTie
final strategy involves repetitive
nxvement or tactile stimulation.
Tapping your leg, walking, a
other kinds of ritualised dancing
can provide this. After some ex-
perimentation, if s best to choose
one and practice it regularly,
daily if possible, until it becomes
like second nature to you. Wiile
it may take some time to achieve
this goal, the health benefits be-
gin immediately and will only
inprove with practice.
International News
GUYANA'S BATTLE TO ABOLISH ANTI-GAY DISCRIMINATION
On January 4, 2001, a bill that
was set to guarantee the Guy-
anese homosexual community
safety from discrimination
based on their sexual orienta-
tion passed the National As-
sembly of Guyana with a 55 to 0
vote. TTie proposed bll, which
was the result of many recon>
mendations by Constitution Re-
form Commission (CFC), was
returned to the parliament by
President Jadgeo for reconsid-
eration. To date, the bill is yet to
be approved by the President.
This, according to reports, fol-
lows iproars from dtizens who
allegedly seek to maintain so-
dal order on the premise of reli-
gious doctrines. During Octo-
ber, however, renowned Guy-
anese human rights activist, Dr.
Bertie Ramcharan, called upon
the govemment to amend the
Guyana Constitution to abolish
disaimination based on sexual
orientation. Dr. Ranrharan de-
scribed this matter as a
"vexing" issue of consdence
that threatens the ideals of the
Lhited Nation. He further
stressed the inportance of in-
dusion within a sodety while
highlighting his pride in the
attenpt by some of his coun-
trymen to put an end to dis-
aimination against members
of the sodety based on sexual
orientation. Under Sections
351,352 and 353 of the Crimi-
nal Law (Offences) Act, homo-
sexual acts are punishable
with sentences ranging from 2
years to life inprisonment.
Section 353, equates anal
intercourse (heterosexual a
homosexual) with intercourse
with animals.
(Continued from page 1)
not sipport either party. TTiese
results conB from two separate
anonymous polls, which did not
take into account where in Ja-
maica the partidpants reside or
their gender. Interestingly
enough, thie results from each
poll had the same ratio of 2:2:1.
This nBans tfiat for every five
members of thie LAG conmunity
here in Jamaica, two sipport
the PNP, another two sipport
the JLP and one sipports nei-
ther party nor any other party.
LEHERS FROM DUR READERS
Wien: Oct 15 2004
From where: St. Ann

I would like to say thanks to this
website for disseminating infor-
mation to me and all other ho-
mosexuals. This in indeed an
informative website that keeps
us in contact with what's hap-
pening with our status in the
world. On behdf of the LAG
Conmunity, THANK YOU JAr
MAICA OLFPOST for every-
thing, as I will continue to visit
the website and sipport.
Last Month's DutPoll Results
Should all gay people boycott a
company that sponsors anti-gay
dancehall artists?
AgpEE -G7%DisagrEE-22%
NntSuPE -11%